Author: Press Room

Management of Audi Brussels called in the police after workers protested the rejection of their counter-proposal, demanding “fair compensation” as the plant’s closure puts thousands of jobs at risk. ADVERTISEMENTNegotiations between union representatives and Audi Brussels management were interrupted on Wednesday when police were called in after workers entered the meeting room in protest.Employees say they put forward a counter-proposal for the company’s social plan, but after it was turned down, they entered the meeting room to “peacefully express their frustration.” Management then called the police to remove them from the premises. Belgian police arrived equipped with batons, helmets, and…

Southland plays a pivotal part in the government’s $3billion goal for the aquaculture industry – and more announcements for the region are expected soon, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones announced a $2.2million loan from the Regional Infrastructure Fund for Ocean Beach during a tour of the site near Bluff yesterday. The site aims to be an aquaculture centre of excellence and future tourism and hospitality hub at the southern tip of New Zealand. During the tour, Mr Jones tasted Bluff gin, learned more about the whitebait and paua farm and saw the site where a new salmon…

Police have released the names of those who died in a collision involving a car and a train at a level crossing on Peachgrove Road, Hamilton yesterday.They were William Brown, aged 46 of Huntly, Shylin Huirama-Osborne, aged 26, of Hamilton, and Sione Nusipepa, aged 23, of Huntly.Two others who were in the vehicle at the time of the crash remain in Waikato Hospital.Police said it would like to speak with all members of the public who helped after the collision as part of their inquiries. “In particular, police would like to speak to the occupants of a vehicle that was…

The European Commission slapped a €797, 72 million fine on Facebook’s owner Meta for abusing its dominant position in the market for personal social networks on Thursday, for preferencing its online classified ads service Facebook Marketplace. ADVERTISEMENTAccording to the EU enforcer, the digital giant has harmed competition by tying its online classified ads service Facebook Marketplace with its personal social network Facebook.“Facebook users automatically have access and get regularly exposed to Facebook Marketplace whether they want it or not,” the Commission said in a statement. “Competitors of Facebook Marketplace may be foreclosed as the tie gives Facebook Marketplace a substantial…

Police have asked residents of several Wellington properties to “not return home at this time” as a truck continues to hang down a bank in Aro Valley.While police said the truck has been made secure by contractors after the incident, it has also warned motorists to “not travel up Mortimer Terrace at this time”.”Contractors will return to the site tomorrow to work towards moving the truck.”Wellington City Council told 1News about 10 people would remain evacuated overnight, and planning was underway to get a crane on-site tomorrow morning to get the truck lifted out.It added power “will have to be…

This article was originally published in Hungarian The Hungarian government confirmed the hack by a non-state group but said that no sensitive data about the country’s military was compromised. ADVERTISEMENTThe IT systems of Hungary’s defence procurement agency were infiltrated by foreign hackers but no sensitive data that could harm the country’s national security was accessed, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff said on Thursday.Gergely Gulyas said the government was investigating the hack by a “hostile foreign, non-state hacker group”. The most sensitive information that could have been accessed was plans and data about military procurement, the official said in…

Five people who police allege were “integral parts” of the Comancheros’ drug supply network have been arrested and charged following search warrants this week.Operation Leith was a sub operation of Operation Avon, which saw every patched member of the Christchurch chapter of the gang arrested in August along with the seizure of “millions of dollars worth” of illicit drugs.In search warrants over the last three days, four men and a woman, aged between 35 and 63, were arrested.Police said they are not members of the Comancheros but were “integral parts” of its drug supply network.They face charges of methamphetamine supply…

The Government’s Treaty Principles Bill has passed its first reading in Parliament, with ACT leader David Seymour’s legislation facing heated opposition.MPs who opposed the Bill described it as being “divisive”, a “wrecking ball” to Crown-Māori relations, and “amounting to a dictatorship of the majority”. Labour MP Willie Jackson was booted from the debating chamber after he called Seymour a “liar”, and later a haka led by Te Pāti Māori saw proceedings suspended before the vote could be finished. Once MPs returned to an empty public gallery, the Bill passed its first reading and will go to select committee. Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke,…

The tech billionaire had waded in on the latest court ruling setback to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s flagship immigration scheme with Albania. ADVERTISEMENTItaly’s President Sergio Mattarella has told Elon Musk to stop interfering in the country’s politics, after the tech billionaire criticised an Italian court for blocking the transfer of migrants to detention centres in Albania built through a controversial immigration deal.Musk, who has been picked to jointly lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency” by US President-elect Donald Trump in his incoming administration, wrote on Tuesday on X that “these judges need to go”. He was referring to…

A Rangiora sports club is frustrated with the increasing maintenance and insurance costs of its 113-year-old pavilion, which can’t be demolished due to its historic importance.The Rangiora Bowling Club approached the Waimakariri District Council last year for help, but was yet to find a satisfactory solution for the pavilion.It is registered with Heritage New Zealand and listed in the Waimakariri District Plan, leaving the club with few options.The club’s ex-president Norman Hewett said the pavilion on Good Street, north of the town centre, is unsafe and no longer fit for purpose.Mr Hewett said the council has been supportive and Heritage…